The O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series worked into the late stages of the 2006 season with its appearance at East Bay Raceway Park for the annual Fall Brawl. The two-night racing program featured the top 360 Sprint pilots in the Southeast along with a number of the track’s local divisions.
Danny “The Hammer” Martin had been holding a hot hand in USCS competition and his fast time in Friday qualifying indicated he had no plans of slowing down. Martin, who had recently attended a NASCAR Drive for Diversity test session, topped 31 other drivers with the best speed and picked up the Lucas Oil Power Dash to set the stage. Martin’s success made him a target as a $500 bounty was put up for the driver who could keep Martin from Victory Lane.
Four preliminary heats helped set the stage as 2006 East Bay track champion Daryl Smith scored one preliminary win. Smith was joined by Tom Winegardner Jr. and Winegardner’s teammate Greg Leonard as well as Kenny Adams with heat triumphs. Michigan racer Ryan Grubaugh picked up the Friday B Main.
A preliminary feature for the Saturday finale was contested and the front row saw Sport Allen and last week’s East Bay feature winner Gene Lasker leading them to the green. Allen and Lasker hogged the front two spots throughout the event, but there was no shortage of action, some of it a bit scary. Tyler Godwin took a wild ride into the turn three fence, shooting high in the protective barrier and rearranging concrete and metal.
Godwin was not hurt, but his car was badly damaged. Meanwhile, Lasker and Allen wanted the win and the $500 bonus, but only one could take the honor. When the checkered flag fell, it was Allen standing in Victory Lane. Lasker took second ahead of national point leader Terry Gray. Martin posted a respectable fourth with heat winner Adams rounding out the top five.
With the stage set for Saturday racing, the O’Reilly USCS portion of the program featured the Lucas Oil Power dash, which included the top six cars from the previous night’s A main. Feature runnerup Lasker proved to be no factor in this race with problems that were later traced to some crossed plug wires.
In the event, Terry Gray took the win and it would be Gray who drew the inversion Frisbee from the K & N Filter Pole Award ceremony. Kenny Adams stood near Gray for the drawing with Adams hoping for a “6” while Gray wanted the “0”. Adams got his wish as Gray went to the third row and Adams ended up with the pole for the 30-lap main.
There was also a matter of heat races and the trio of preliminaries saw victory for Tom Winegardner Jr., Kenny Adams, and local racer Danny Jones. The B main moved another six drivers into the A-main and Steven Darvalics led the pack of cars to transfer.
With 22 cars on the grid and additional money put up by CnB Mushroom Farms for the top three finishers, the field took the green, only to have the start nullified by a Ryan Grubaugh spin. Another attempted start was brought back when Danny Martin Jr. went around in the fourth turn.
When the green stayed out, Adams surged to the lead, but Winegardner wouldn’t settle for a runaway. By lap 8, Winegardner had hunted down Adams and snatched the lead. Three laps later, Adams asserted himself to the point while battles inside the top 10 were heating up. Daryl Smith was charging through the field and made it to third before slamming the front stretch wall, riding it to turn one.
Smith dropped from competition and the field was set after the red flag with the running order of Adams, Winegardner, Sport Allen, Gray, and Sam Hafertepe. On the restart, Hafertepe managed to work past Gray within a few laps as Adams set sail into lapped traffic. The backmarkers gave Winegardner a chance to close, but Winegardner had to worry about his own battles.
There was no room for error as Allen and Hafertepe, involved in their own showdown, were ready to pounce. Adams could not be headed as he worked the traffic masterfully to claim the top cash. Winegardner had an impressive second, ahead of Allen, Hafertepe and Gray.
In the Friday racing action, two of East Bay’s local divisions, the Limited Sprints and Outlaw 4s, were joined by the Florida Mini Sprint Association. Paulie Milum and Tim George captured preliminaries for the Limited Sprints, but it was Greg Leonard prevailing in the main. The heat winners ran second and third with George ahead of Milum.
Dakotah Stephens and Rick Byerly rounded out the top five. For the Outlaw 4s, young guns Alex Boerner and Austin Gillman took down the heats. Only Gillman could add his name to the top 5 finishers at the end of the division’s main. Jim Coursen took the win, ahead of Cecil Martin and 2005 class champion Chad Rose. Fourth went to teenaged racer Steve Miller with Gillman fifth.
In Florida Mini Sprint racing, Pennsylvania speedster Jim Young returned to East Bay’s Victory Lane. Young is a regular during Winter Nationals and has won several early season races. Harold Matthews came home second ahead of Louisiana racers Terry Monroe and Mardy Hardgroder. Greg Skyta finished fifth.
The Saturday racing action saw the return of the Mini Sprints, who were joined by Street Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers. Mardy Hardgroder rebounded from his Friday finish to claim the Saturday win.
Early race leader Skyta settled for second, one of his best East Bay showings. Russ Heider ran a steady race to claim third, ahead of Harold Matthews and Jim Young. By taking the green flag, Jesse Teed claimed the 2006 Florida Mini Sprint Association series title. The crown is Teed’s fifth championship.
Steven Johnson moved methodically through the field to lay claim to the 15-lap Street Stock main, inheriting the lead after mechanical problems sidelined a strong running Charlie Paris Jr. Point leader Paul Gibbs boosted his advantage by finishing second in front of Buck Woodhouse, James Escobar, and Cam Canova. Buckshot Meixner and Waylon Haynes topped preliminaries.
For the 4 Cylinder Bombers, three heats were won by point leader George Christensen, Steve Kimpton and K.C. Laramee. With the backing of his loyal fans, Christensen went quickly into the lead in the 15-lap finale. He weathered a late race challenge from Laramee to recorded his fourth feature of the ’06 season. Michael Tuggle drove through the field to finish behind the second place Laramee with Tim Albright and Buck Skinner in the top five.
Racing action continues on Saturday, Nov. 11 with a five division program including Late Models, Limited Late Models, Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks and Outlaw 4s. Complete details can be found at www.eastbayracewaypark.com
The O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series worked into the late stages of the 2006 season with its appearance at East Bay Raceway Park for the annual Fall Brawl. The two-night racing program featured the top 360 Sprint pilots in the Southeast along with a number of the track’s local divisions.
